1918: A Love Story
by Kittyvonawesome
Summary: Isabella Swan is a young girl who lives with her mother in Chicago, Illinois. She meets Edward Masen Jr, when his family comes to town for their business. Despite social status being an obstacle, they meet and fall in love, in the midst of the Spanish Influenza that begins to take over the city. Can their love stand the test or will it meet an untimely end?
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

It was springtime, early May of 1918. My bonnet was secured on top of my head and my laced white gloves were pulled up to the crook of my elbows. I was wearing my favorite light blue dress with ruffles at the bottom. These clothes were my best. They had all been a gift from my mother for my seventeenth birthday last summer. My mother requested that I wear it for the city fair today, as it was the anniversary of the founding of the town. I had never been a big fan of public events, however today I had promised myself I would have fun instead of letting social interactions wear me down. Being a lady in this day in age meant that I couldn't express my true feelings to those around me. So no one really knew my distaste for such events except for myself and my best friend Mary Alice. We often made fun of such ridiculous expectations, "Young ladies should always be pleasant, present, and well dressed. They should be soft-spoken, with delicate features." Ideally, I should be a decoration in any room. However, I didn't agree with much of these expectations, I did my best to follow them regardless, to make my mother proud.

Everything wasn't so black and white, I did my best to meet these expectations, sure, but sometimes I truly didn't mind. I enjoyed dressing up, I enjoyed being treated politely by all. It only bothered me when choices weren't mine to be made, or when men expected me to be weak-minded, including my father. However, mostly I could ignore these realities, and replace them with my own. I did this daily by reading my books, and finding other realities to live in. However, today was not the day for finding other realities, it was a day for putting up with my own for a while.

I walked the cobblestone street in the middle of the day, towards the fair. I could see the famous Ferris wheel left over from the World's Fair of 1893. It was a sunny day, with a slight wind, making it perfect for events such as these. I remember thinking how much I loved the feeling of sunlight on my skin. The flowers were in full bloom, including my favorites, Mrs. Harbinger's marigolds. Mrs. Harbinger was my neighbor and her beautiful apartment was always brimming over with marigolds this time of year. She was a burly woman, she wasn't respected in the town because of her behavior and low status. She had moved from Ireland when she was a little girl. Her brusque accent was still very evident in everything she said, and it didn't help her any that she was loud too. She was one of my favorite people around. She saw me and smiled her iconic toothy smile and waved.

"Hello Isabella! Good day to be out, isn't it?" She yelled loudly and proudly, making others walking the street look back at her in shock for being so obnoxious. However, it only made me adore her more than I already did.

"Indeed Ma'am, it's a wonderfully sunny day. My kind of day!" I yelled back as I walked off towards the fair, earning a few stares of my own. Mary Alice waited for me by the entrance of the fair. Her long black hair tied up neatly in a bun such as my own. Mary Alice was an exquisite being, I had always envied her delicate features and petite frame. However, she did not see herself as clearly as everyone else, and she was quite humble and kind.

"Ah! There you are, Isabella! I've been waiting for you, did you wake up late again, silly," She smiled as she grabbed my hands excitedly. "No matter, I have fantastic news, Isabella," Mary Alice was always going on about the next piece of gossip in the town. She was an easily excitable creature. The smallest bit of news could make her jump for joy. It really was entertaining and endearing.

"Yes, well Mary Alice, not everyone can be early birds such as yourself," I said, smiling fondly at my best friend, "Now what news have you recently obtained that has made you so fanatical?"

"Edward Masen Sr. is in town, Isabella! He is moving to Chicago in hopes of finding a house and a place for his business. He has brought his whole family, including his son, Edward Masen Jr., can you believe it?"

"That is thrilling news, Mary Alice, but how did you find out? I'm sure I would've heard of this by now,"

"Well I heard from my mother who was close friends with Mrs. Masen, before they left town the last time,"

"Pardon me, but did you say they left town before?" This piece of news surprised me, I'm sure I would've remembered if the famous Masen's had lived here before. Mary Alice didn't seem surprised by this at all.

"Oh, yes, well actually, Edward Masen Jr was born here but they moved to New York when he was just a baby, but they're coming back now because Mr. Masen has gotten a better job offer here," She explained with ease, a big smile still plastered on her face. I took her arm and wrapped it around mine and began walking again.

"I never knew this, how interesting," I said while looking forward to know where I was headed. We had just entered the fair, and were walking towards the Ferris wheel.

"It is, isn't it? Also, from what I hear, Edward Masen Jr is quite a catch," I heard Mary Alice say this in a very suggestive tone, and when I looked to her she was raising her eyebrow and elbowing me in the ribs. I gasped at her implications

"Mary Alice Brandon! Control yourself," I said while laughing hysterically, and trying hard to conceal it. A lady never laughs loudly in a public place.

"Isabella, you're a very beautiful young lady, I think it's about time someone other than me acknowledged it," Mary Alice was always going on about the boys of the county, she considered herself the invisible matchmaker, even though her own love life was just as empty and boring as mine.

"Well what about you then, Mary Alice? You should start using those matchmaking abilities for yourself,"

"I don't see how. Cupid doesn't have a significant other," She said matter-of-factly, however I knew she was wrong. As much as it was unladylike to correct someone, I could never help it.

"Ah, but that isn't true. In Roman mythology, Cupid falls in love with a mortal and takes her as a wife," I said gently, trying to conceal my eagerness to be right, it isn't ladylike to boast. However, Mary Alice knew me, and never seemed to mind.

"My word, a mortal? Isn't it against the unspoken rules of mythology that a mortal and a god do not correspond?" Mary Alice was correct, of course.

"Well sadly yes, the human girl was not allowed to look upon him because he was a god,"

"How tragic, well I'll just be the smarter version of Cupid," She said, smiling at me wickedly. She knew she had won this round. I laughed quietly and lightly smacked her arm.

"Very well then," I treasured the conversations Mary Alice and I engaged in, they were always spoken in discretion, because they were considered unsuitable conversation topics for young ladies.

We walked around the fair, arm in arm, laughing silently as we talked more about the gossip of the town. The day was passing quickly, Mary Alice and I had only just left the fair when we noticed the sun was beginning to set.

"Have you heard that Mr. Umbrage was seen with a young woman around our age?" Mary Alice asked me, always the source of titillating gossip.

I gasped, "My word, he is so old, how scandalous," I giggled at the idea and Mary Alice joined in soon after. My giggles began to get out of control and I hide my face in my hand to stifle them.

I wasn't looking where I was going when suddenly I felt myself run into something hard and warm. I gasped and jumped back, my arm leaving Mary Alice's and my feet losing their balance. I began to lose hope that I would gain it back when I felt someone grab both of my arms, effectively stopping the ground from coming up to meet my head.

I couldn't stop my heavy breathing as I looked up to my rescuer, "Oh, I am so sorry, sir, I wasn't looking where I was going." I stood back up and he let go of my arms, allowing me to smooth my skirts. I felt my face heating up at the idiocrasy of it all, and of course he was certainly a beauty. If Cupid was around I'm sure he had already cursed me with one of his blasted arrows. The young man was around our age, his face held a resemblance to the famous sculpture David by Michelangelo. His features were sharp, and could've very well been carved from stone. However he still held a youthfulness in his eyes. Those emerald eyes looked worried and held my complete attention, while his strange bronze colored hair fluttered slightly in the wind.

"It is perfectly all right, miss. I apologize for almost causing you to fall, are you alright?" His arms were still raised at his sides, towards me, as if he expected me to fall again. The way his eyes kept me in his trance, I was almost sure I would need them again.

"Yes, I am quite all right. Thank you for catching me. I don't know what I would've done if I ruined my mother's favorite dress. She certainly wouldn't have been happy with me," I found myself rambling, and somehow I couldn't stop, "You know, because she bought me this dress. It's my best one." I could feel my inner self screaming at me to stop talking, "But thanks to you, we won't have to worry," I cleared my throat softly, hoping it would impede any more blathering.

"Well yes, it is fortunate it is still in perfect condition," He smiled and held out his hand, "I am Edward Masen, and who are you, may I ask?" I could feel Mary Alice's stare boring into me, she was in shock just as much as I was. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice her shock. I almost forgot to take his hand, but his confused expression allowed me to recover.

"Uh, Excuse me, I am Isabella Swan," I took his hand and he smiled as he leaned down to kiss the back of it.

"It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Swan, would you allow me to escort you ladies back to your homes? It is getting quite dark out." I looked around and found that he was correct in that statement. It surprised me, it seemed only a few minutes ago that the sun was still gracing us with its presence.

I looked to Mary Alice and she encouraged me with a slight nod of her head, I looked back to Mr. Masen and smiled, "Yes, that would be much appreciated, thank you."


	2. Chapter 2: The Walk Home

**Hello all! I'm still new to this process, and that's why I didn't have one of these on the first chapter. But, I figured I should have a disclaimer. I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS. All rights belong to the lovely Stephanie Meyer. Also, I wanted to thank you for the reviews and likes so far. As I said before, I'm still quite new to this. So I hope I don't disappoint. I'm just looking for a way to improve my writing while also having some fun :) SO please be nice. I beg of you. I'm quite sensitive XD**

Chapter 2: The Walk Home

Mary Alice was the first to get home, as her house was only a few blocks away from the fair. Mr. Masen and I bid her goodnight as she went inside,

"It was a privilege to meet you Ms. Brandon," Mr. Masen had said as she walked up the stairs.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mary Alice," was my farewell as she looked back at me with eyes that screamed, _"Tell me everything tomorrow!"_ I gave her a small nod and smiled as she closed the door behind her, looking satisfied. I couldn't help the chuckle that followed her departure, as Mr. Masen and I began walking again.

"May I ask what is amusing you," Mr. Masen said with a slight glint in his eye that I couldn't identify.

I smiled broader, "Mary Alice is my favorite person in the world, and sometimes I forget how much I love having her around," Mr. Masen seemed confused still, so I continued, "I guess it was just one of those moments where I realized how much I appreciate her nosiness," I laughed and he chuckled finally understanding.

"So, she is intrusive?" He asked, wanting to know more.

"Oh no, well yes, but only in the best ways," I answered, determined to keep her reputation untarnished, "She is curious as much as any close friend would be, perhaps even more so. But never to the point where it is a problem."

"Well what was she curious about just now?" He inquired, probably wondering how I had come to the conclusion. I froze, I had laughed because of her nosiness with Mr. Masen, however I didn't want him to think there was anything for her to be nosy about between us. However, I was never good at coming up with cover stories, so I opted for the truth.

"You," I said simply, "You're only the talk of the whole town, and we never expected to run into you,"

He laughed, louder than I had ever heard someone laugh in public. That fact alone made me smile from ear to ear. However, his laugh was musical, and soon I found myself entranced by it. It seemed everything about this man entranced me to the point of not being able to speak.

"Yes, well, it is a curse, trust me," was his simple reply.

I smiled again, "I can't see how. It can't be too terrible to have admirers," I said, thinking of the fan clubs for Edward Masen around the town. And yes, there were multiple.

"Admirers? I didn't know I had any. I thought you were talking about my father's business," He smiled down at me, as if he was laughing at a private joke.

"Uh, well yes, that too," I was flustered. I didn't know what to say to this man.

"I'm sure you have admirers as well, Ms. Swan," He stated, out of the blue, I found myself resisting the urge to laugh.

"No, I do not think so," was my attempt at a lady-like response. However, it was difficult when I was trying to cover up my laughing with small coughs.

He looked amused at this, "No? Really? Well they're probably there, you just haven't noticed them yet,"

I didn't answer, instead I let it drop and moved on, "What do you like to do for entertainment, Mr. Masen?"

"Call me Edward, please. Mr. Masen is my father." He implored

"Very well then. What do you like to do for fun, Edward?" I asked, pleased at being able to talk freely with him, like we were friends instead of strangers.

"Well Ms. Swan-" he began, but I didn't let him finish

"Pardon me, I don't mean to interrupt, but if I am to call you Edward, you may call me Isabella, or Bella if you wish," I declared, silently hoping he would call me by the name I've been trying to get people to use all my life.

"Very well then, Ms. Bella," he smiled at me, and my insides turned to jelly as he spoke my name. His voice made it sound like a beautiful ballad, "I enjoy playing the piano in my free time, I also enjoy reading," He looked to me, as a sign he was finished. My interest was piqued.

"Reading? What do you like to read?" I questioned, reviewing all of the books that sat on my bookshelf at that moment.

"Well, I find my interests are quite eclectic when it comes to books. However, recently, I've found Charles Dickens work to be quite fascinating,"

"Really? Which one is your favorite?" I inquired, curious beyond belief.

"I find _Nicholas Nickleby_ quite thought provoking," He answered, seeming almost lost in his thoughts.

"I imagine so," Knowing that book to be about a young man whose father passes away, and leaves nothing for his son, I couldn't help but to be nosy still and ask, "Do you ever worry about such a thing happening to you?" I almost regretted asking, but he didn't seem to mind.

"No, my father is well off, and he's spoken many times of leaving everything to me after he's gone," His voice almost sounded bored, like he was wanting anything else to happen instead of that.

"Pardon me, it seems Mary Alice has rubbed off on me some, but, you do not seem like that is what you desire…" I trailed off, hoping not to offend him or let my curiosity become too wild.

He chuckled humorously, "Yes, well, I suppose it's that obvious, isn't it?" I nodded slightly, unable to help myself. He continued, "Well I suppose it's not exactly what I dream of doing, I honestly don't know what I would do if I were given a choice, but I can say with certainty it wouldn't be taking over an oil business,"

"May I ask why?"

"You're full of questions, Ms. Bella, are you always this inquisitive?" He asked, smiling and effectively moving the conversation elsewhere. I took that as a sign to not say anymore on the subject.

"Well, I suppose Mary Alice isn't the only one who is nosy. I believe we share that characteristic. I am sorry if I offended you in any way," I let him take the lead for the next part of the conversation, wishing to not offend him any further.

"Of course not. What do you like to do then, Bella? I imagine you are also a lover of the written word based off of your interest earlier," he probed in a subtle manner

"Well you imagine correctly. My favorite book is Wuthering Heights, I read it quite often. However I am also a fan of Jane Austen's works," I lingered there, hoping he would continue speaking. I sure loved to listen to him speak, his voice was like melting honey.

"Really? _Wuthering Heights?_ I never would've guessed," He smiled at me and my insides felt like jelly again.

We came upon my house then, and I stopped walking, looking to him I found his eyes almost looked disappointed. This knowledge made my stomach do flips.

"It was wonderful to meet you Mr. Mas-" Whoops. Force of habit, "Uh, I mean Edward. I hope we will get to meet again," I couldn't stop the broad smile that graced my lips.

"I hope so too, Ms. Swa-… Bella." He chuckled softly and took my hand one last time and placed a kiss upon it. "Goodbye Bella," and with that he turned around and began to walk the way we had come.

I walked inside and closed the door behind me, the events of today racing to the forefront of my mind. I was giddy.

"Mother! I'm home," I called, I walked to the kitchen to find her sitting at the table and reading a book. Her hair was tied up in a bun, with strands falling around her face. Her eyes were sunken in, because she hadn't gotten much rest these past couple of days. She worked late in the evening, and very early in the morning, which was necessary ever since Father left to join the army, and left us to fend for ourselves. My mother was a lot like me, except more beautiful, and a little harebrained. However, she never seemed less like a mother to me, she was still authoritative despite that. She looked up at me as I walked in,

"Ah, Isabella, there you are. How was the fair today?" She asked while looking back down at her book.

"It was … quite pleasant," I said, surprised that I hadn't even wanted to go in the first place.


	3. Chapter 3: The Financial Situation

**Hello all! This is the third installment of 1918, it's a bit longer but not by much. I am still laying groundwork for what is to come, so it might be boring so far, but I hope you will all bear with me. After all, most beginning chapters of any good story are boring. As always, all rights belong to the lovely Stephanie Meyer. I do not own a thing. Thank you for reading my story, beauties :)**

Chapter Three: The Financial Situation

The next day I woke up to the sound of birds chirping and sunlight streaming through my window. I was irrevocably happy. And it wasn't a mystery why. Meeting Edward Masen was nothing that I had ever experienced, and yet it was everything I had ever hoped for. We were still strangers, considerably, but I felt like I was walking on sunshine despite that fact. I longed to see him again, even if it was in passing.

"Isabella," my mother called from downstairs, breaking through my little bubble of happiness, "Please go to the market today and buy me some beets, and afterwards you should go visit Mrs. Brandon and pick up a meal that she prepared for us, and when you get home please do your daily chores. I have to get to the factory right now, and I won't be back until tonight," she finished.

Realizing the reality of my situation, I stood up from my bed and began to get ready for another normal day. Today was not another day of my fantasizing, but a day of getting things done. I would not think of Edward Masen today, he was extremely out of my league in the first place. My mother and I were alone, and on the brink of losing everything and moving to my grandfather's farm in the country, we could not afford daydreaming. My mother worked hard at the factory, while I worked hard at home. There was no time to fantasize about foolish things that would never happen.

"Yes mother," I called back, soon hearing the sound of a door closing. I pulled on my "working dress", a simple brown fabric with white lace trim. This was what most of my dresses looked like recently, sadly it made it very clear to the whole town about our situation. Our social standing has been on a downhill slide ever since we sold my dresses for food. Mary Alice was the only one who stood by me through it all. While the other girls; Elizabeth, Annie, and Katherine left my side the second I could no longer dress the part for the weekly teas. Mary Alice and her mother have even went out of their way to cook meals for us every week, which I often went to pick up, like today.

As soon as I was ready, I left the house- or rather small apartment- and walked down the three concrete steps to the sidewalk. Taking notice again of Mrs. Harbinger's marigolds to my right, I smiled to myself. Her marigolds often brightened my day, as they were a bright spot of yellow and orange on an otherwise dreary street. I was so caught up in them, in fact, that I almost didn't recognize another source of brightness on this street.

"Good morning, Ms. Bella," a soft, musical voice broke me out of my reverie, surprising me.

"Oh!" I gasped, my hand flying to my heart as I looked to my left to see none other than Mr. Edward Masen standing before me in all his glory. He smiled a dazzling crooked smile and held out his hand for mine.

"Please forgive me, Ms. I didn't mean to frighten you," He said, still smiling as if finding amusement in my reaction, while placing yet another kiss upon my hand.

"Well that's quite all right, I am sure my heart will restart momentarily, if you will just give me a few moments," I teased, taking my hand back gently. "May I ask what you're doing in this corner of town, Edward? This is surely out of your way," I asked, genuinely curious.

"Ah, well, I figured I would come see you again, and perhaps see what is on your agenda for the day,"

"Well, Mr. Masen, I must regrettably inform you that I have many chores today," I replied, feeling an enormous amount of grief for having to turn down such a beautiful face. His eyes downcast, I almost threw all of my responsibilities out the window to take him up on his offer.

"Well perhaps I can assist you then," his eyes glinted in excitement, and I could not find the will to turn down such a face. However, I did not wish for him to find out about my financial standing. Surely, he would catch on when I went to pick up a meal from Mary Alice?

Against my better judgement, "That would be lovely," I was kicking myself in the rear all the way to the Mary Alice's house.

When we arrived, I saw my dear friend sitting on her porch steps, waiting for me with the meal in her lap. I picked up my pace to reach her sooner and gave her a hug of greeting. Edward caught up with us soon after.

"How was your evening, Mary Alice? I hope pleasant," I inquired as I loosened my hug and we broke apart.

"Probably not half as pleasant as yours," She whispered under her breath so Edward would not hear, I resisted the urge to gasp and softly smack her, luckily she recovered herself, "It was, thank you for asking," she announced in a louder voice, smiling mischievously. I smiled teasingly back, not the least bit surprised at my friend.

"How was yours, Mr. Masen?" Mary Alice asked, turning to him.

He smiled, "Please Ms. Brandon, call me Edward, I asked the same of Isabella. I do not prefer being called something so formal and stiff," he finished, giving her a friendly smile. His use of my given name surprised me. He had called me Bella since last night, it was almost like he wanted that nickname to be between us. The idea made me smile, and I had to hide it, probably without success.

She returned it, "Well, that's certainly understandable, call me Mary Alice then, Edward. That way we can all be on a first name basis," for some reason, this made me extremely happy. I immensely enjoyed us all acting like close friends.

"Yes, indeed, also I had a fine evening, thank you for asking," I almost deluded myself into thinking I saw his eye twitch my way ever so slightly.

"Well Isabella, here is the meal for the party," she said extending the meal to me, her eyes silently telling me she was lying, even though I already knew it. I appreciated her discretion, surely she understood how I didn't want Edward to know my situation.

"You're having a party, Isabella," he asked, and suddenly I was kicking myself, now he'd want to come.

"Uh, well, yes. However, it is my mother's party for her and her friends," I lied with ease. I deserved a medal. I never lied so quickly and seamlessly before. I was worried the surprise of that was mirrored in my facial expression. Edward seemed to accept this easily enough.

"Well, I hope it goes smoothly," He smiled down at me, causing another round of blushes to creep up my neck.

"Thank you very much," I smiled ear to ear, his politeness and friendliness always causing my mouth muscles to react against my will. "Well I must take my leave now, actually, I have to go to the marketplace and then go back to my house for the small party tonight," I finished, looking to both of them.

Mary Alice seemed to almost take my hint, but she seemed hesitant, "Actually, Isabella, how about I come with you and assist, I really do not have much else to occupy my time," she looked hopeful, but somehow also mischievous, I felt she was up to something. I did not have the energy to guess what.

"Yes, of course, dear Mary Alice," I could never deny anyone. Well I could, but apparently not today.

"In that case, is it all right if I come as well," Edward asked and I kicked myself. At this point I might as well tell him the truth so he can just hurry up with losing interest in me and moving on to the more eligible ladies of the town. I nodded, smiling despite it all, because I was still selfishly happy that I could spend time with him, no matter how brief.

And so, we set off. The three of us engaging in topics including the World War that had been going on for a couple of years, and was still happening. Rumors had been spreading that it was ending soon. Edward had often made comments that he wished he was a couple of years older so he could have had the chance to sign up for the draft and fight for his country. Meanwhile, I was silently thanking God that he was still seventeen, and therefore too young. Our topics ranged wildly from the war to the recent rising topic of contention, the right to vote for women. Edward surprised us both, telling us that he supported it wholeheartedly. We also talked of much simpler things, including other favorite books that we hadn't covered the night before. Soon Edward began to talk of his family again, a topic that I learned was sore for him.

"My mother insists on finding me a wife of fair features and a high standing family before the year is out. I honestly wish she would just let me choose for myself," this new course sent a chill through me, making me silently hope that he was thinking of me. It was a foolish wish, surely.

"Well, my mother insists on making sure I look my best every day to snatch up a husband as quickly as possible," Mary Alice added, "finding a spouse is a high risk game nowadays, dearies, you have to snatch them up as quick as you can," She smiled, chuckling lightly. For us ladies to speak so freely around a potential future spouse was so outrageous that I found myself laughing at the whole situation. It was surely unheard of, and if our mothers could see us now, we would surely be reprimanded severely. They wanted nothing more than for us to find husbands, and I was sure we were ruining our chances. Edward never seemed to mind, though, which amazed me to a great extent. He seemed to genuinely enjoy our outlandish conversations.

By this time, we had reached the marketplace. It was held in an outdoor area, with the occasional tent. The lines were surprisingly short, I could see stacks of food near the check out. After finding the beets, I walked over to the line and reached for my purse, only to find it wasn't there. I froze. I know I grabbed it this morning. How had I not realized it was gone until now? I turned to Mary Alice in a panic.

"Mary Alice," I hissed under my breath, hoping not to attract the attention of Edward who was standing behind us, looking at a stack of apples.

"What's wrong," she asked worried, picking up on the tone of my voice.

"I don't know where my purse is, it's gone, that held all of my money for the rest of this week, it's for food," I said, beginning to panic. My mother wouldn't get another paycheck until next week. This was the worst thing that could've happened. My mother would surely be very upset with me, and it would be my fault if we starved during the course of the upcoming week.

"What," she gasped, "Are you sure," her voice got louder as she became more panicked, realizing the severity of the situation.

"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have said anything," I muttered, still hoping to not alarm Edward.

She quickly grabbed her own purse, pulling out money for the beets she began to hand it over. I pushed her hand away gently, "Oh no, Mary, I really couldn't," I never called her Mary, "It's your money, please don't make me use your money," I begged. I hated to borrow money from anyone. It made me feel guilty beyond belief.

"Please, Isabella, like you have any choice in the matter," She forced the money into my hand, "Please let me help you, and my family and I will make meals for every night this week instead of just one," I began to shake my head, "No, Isabella, don't argue with me. This is temporary, anyway, just until your mother gets her paycheck and then we will go back to the original once a week deal," she had a tone of finality, and I knew she wouldn't let me say anything further.

"Thank you," I said finally, she smiled warmly and gave me a hug which I returned wholeheartedly. I began to cry silently, "Thank you so much Mary Alice, we will do our best to repay you, thank you," my voice breaking, I couldn't control myself.

"What is wrong," a worried, musical voice suddenly asked, we stopped hugging and I wiped my face hurriedly.

"Oh, it's nothing," I replied with a wave of my hand. I decided I would search for my purse later, I would not give up. He didn't say anything further, although I had a feeling that didn't mean he wasn't going to.


	4. Chapter 4: Coming Clean

**Hello again. I found myself writing the next chapter sooner than I expected. It is a little shorter, but I expect to post the next one sometime today. So please don't worry. Then again, I don't think anyone's exactly chomping at the bit for these chapters. Either way. Chapter 5 estimated arrival time: sometime today. Don't really know when. AS ALWAYS: I own none of these characters. Thank you for reading my story, I have many ideas and plans for this baby XD, I really really hope you like it. Give me reviews so I know if I totally suck or not. Thank you lovelies! ENJOY**

Chapter 4: Coming Clean

I came back to my house with both Edward and Mary Alice trailing behind me, they had promised they would help me with my chores. However, I suspected that they really just didn't want to leave me alone for too long. I searched the market place after Mary Alice paid for the beets, and I still couldn't find it anywhere. I believe Edward picked up what had happened pretty quickly, but didn't say anything and just helped us look. Words couldn't describe what that meant to me.

Mary Alice's offer still stood, she would help my mother and I survive this week. However, I was still agonizing over what to tell my mother. She would severely punish me for being so irresponsible. That money wasn't only for food. Part of it was to be used for rent for us to stay in this wretched, small apartment. Now that money was gone, and we were going to be behind on paying rent. I conveniently forgot to tell Mary about that part, but I didn't want to say anything to her, she was helping enough.

I decided to give up trying to hide my financial problems from Edward, I couldn't stop him from picking up the obvious, including my clothes, where I lived, the gossip of the town. However, I wouldn't talk of it, I would still try to keep my dignity in some way or another. So that's why I gave up and let him enter our home. The home that had been ours ever since my father's house became too much of a burden to pay for.

"Home sweet home," was all I could say as I opened the door to let them inside.

"Isabella, I am so sorry we couldn't find your purse, I'll help you break the news to your mother," Mary Alice soothed, and I, once again, was found speechless at my dear friend's generosity.

"Thank you so much, Mary Alice," I said, my voice breaking for the second time that day.

"Well, it is certainly unfortunate, but surely your mother will understand, it could happen to anybody," Edward said, a hint of confusion evident in his voice. I realized he didn't understand the problem with the rent, and so he was confused as to how I could be so distraught at telling my mother.

"You're right, of course, it's just my mother has always had the tendency to over react, and I just don't want her to worry too much," came yet another lie from my lips. I began to feel guilty how each lie was less difficult to tell than the last. I was becoming good at it, and I wasn't proud of myself anymore. I was ashamed. Suddenly, I felt sick to be in his presence, I didn't like lying to him at all. "Edward, you don't have to stay, I'm sure your parents are wondering where you are, you probably have more important things to do than agonize over a purse," I tried to chuckle lightly, though it came out edgy and forced.

He looked confused again, with a twinge of hurt touching his eyes, he looked over to Mary Alice and then back to me, "Mary Alice, would you mind if I spoke to Isabella for a moment," he asked out of the blue. _Uh-oh_ was my only thought.

She looked between us and after a simple and soft, "Of course," she left the room. Edward's eyes never left mine, and I was stunned by the intensity of the moment.

"I have a feeling something is very wrong, Bella," his eyes held nothing but worry, and his voice was soft and caring, "Please tell me, Bella, maybe I could help,"

"No, I don't think so, Edward," I looked down guiltily, he only wanted to help and here I was refusing him, "I'm sorry."

"Why do you seem so distant all of a sudden," his voice turned a fraction harder, "I know we only met yesterday, Bella, but I thought we were close, closest I've ever been with someone, that's for sure," I was surprised by this, and I was forced to look up and meet his gaze, he seemed genuine.

"I like to think we are too, Edward, it's just that this isn't something I'm comfortable sharing with someone like-," I stopped, realizing what I almost said, but I wasn't quick enough, he caught on easily enough.

"Someone like me? I don't understand, what's different about me," he asked, his voice sounded both frustrated and hurt.

"Edward it's not you, trust me. It's me, it's your mother-," I stopped, realizing what I said a second too late again.

"What does it have to do with my mother, I don't understand,"

"Edward, look around, would you," I asked sarcastically, "I haven't been to your new house here in Chicago, but I'm positive it is like this but only five times larger with more levels above us,"

He looked taken back, "Is this about me being rich," he asked confounded, he didn't seem positive he had heard me correctly.

I was suddenly feeling very foolish, "Well, yes, I'm sorry, but if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm poor," There. Out in the open. No denying it now.

"Why are you so upset by this, Bella," He walked forward, coming closer to me. "What is wrong, why are you pushing me away," suddenly he grabbed my hands and looked pleadingly into my eyes. I was dumbfounded by his sudden intensity.

"Because, I used to be like you. I used to have the five story house with maids and a new dress to wear everyday" I said simply, "I used to have a chance with you, but you came too late," I found myself suddenly implying my feelings for him, and I wished the ground would come up and eat me, taking me to hell where I could focus on other types of burning other than his burning eyes that refused to break connection with mine. As soon as the blush began to fade away I continued, "My father left for the war, and we couldn't keep up with taxes and bills, we had to leave the house and sell my best dresses for food. I've been shunned, Edward. You on the other hand are the catch of the county, and you're ruining your reputation by even talking to me," I finished, trying my best to give him some type of clue as to what he's gotten himself into. Part of me wanted him to catch on and run for the hills, another part of me wanted him to stay and tell me it didn't matter.

"What was in that purse, Bella," he asked, determined.

"This month's rent, as well as the money for food this week," I confessed, I looked down unable to look into his eyes. I didn't want pity or charity. I just wanted to forget every moment of this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

"I can help," He said simply, as I knew he would. I began to shake my head, and he grabbed my shoulders, startling me into looking back up at him. "No, really Bella, I won't give you money, I promise. I have no money to give. My parents may be rich, but my wallet is empty," he almost seemed giddy by that fact, which confused me. "But, I really can help, I can help you do your chores for one, and I can do manual labor, I can do any favors you need from me, I can cook meals, and I can just be here for support" he was smiling by the end of this. He surprised me.

"You don't have to, Edward. Really, why would you want to," I found myself asking.

"Because, you're a friend in need, and I want to help," the word _friend_ shocked me, he was acting intense, passionate, and in many ways more than a friend. However, I was immensely pleased by his concern and apparent desire to help me. I found myself nodding to his proposal before my mind even made a decision. He smiled ear to ear and hugged me. I hugged him back, mystified as to how we had gotten here.

I heard Mary Alice walk back into the room, and as we broke apart, we turned to see her smiling with a mischievous glint in her eye. Like always.

"I called meals, Eddie," she said playfully, and I found myself giggling. I saw his face turn very serious and his eyes turned into slits. There was a brief moment where I worried if he was sincerely angry.

"No one calls me Eddie," was all he said, making Mary Alice and I laugh even harder.


	5. Chapter 5: Cleaning the House

**Hello all! Chapter Five here. It's shorter than I anticipated, but as I was writing, I realized how I wanted my chapters spaced out, and I figured for this chapter it was the perfect length. As always, I don't own a thing, all rights belong to the lovely Stephanie Meyer. Thank you to all who read my story, and please please please leave me reviews if you can. Please enjoy! :D**

Chapter Five: Cleaning the House

Later that night, I could be found in the kitchen doing dishes, while Mary Alice was scrubbing the hallway floors. Edward had been given sweeping duty, and was apparently finished, as he came up from behind me and started helping me with the dishes. He looked to me and smiled, pushing up his long white sleeves. Edward was from a rich family, of course, we all knew that. But I forgot to mention that it meant he dressed nicely. He had been wearing the whole ensemble, the fancy suit and black shiny shoes. He had taken off his coat and hung it up, leaving him in a white dress shirt that I was very worried about him dirtying. He picked up a wet plate, and began to dry it with a dish rag, setting it down on the other side of the counter.

"Please be careful, Edward," I told him, "I've already stolen you from your family for the whole day, I'd really rather not have them blame me for dirtying your nice clothes as well,"

He chuckled at this and looked up at me, "I don't mind, it's refreshing to be the one doing the work,"

"That's what I said at first too, but don't worry, it gets old quick," we both sniggered at this. I found myself feeling truly perplexed as to how this all came to be. It seemed ridiculous that I was stepping on eggshells around him this morning. "Thank you, Edward, you have no idea what you and Mary Alice being here means to me."

He looked up from the cup in his hand and smiled his signature crooked smirk, leaving me breathless momentarily. How he did that, I'll never know. "Don't thank me, Bella, I enjoy this. I relish spending time with you, no matter what we're doing." I could feel the blush creeping up my neck again, and I felt the urge to hide it.

"Well," Mary Alice exclaimed as she came into the room, causing me to drop the bowl that was in my hand, into the sink. She was carrying her mop and bucket, "I'd say those floors are ready to be stepped on and dirtied up again," she set her supplies down and dried her hands on her dress. Mary Alice was rich as well, or at least from a good family, and so I let her borrow one of my dresses to work in, I never would've let her got down on her knees to clean a floor otherwise.

"Thank you, dear," I replied, looking at her over my shoulder, and picking up the bowl. I saw Edward looking at me and grinning from the corner of my eye. I turned to him, "What are you looking at, sir," I asked, chuckling.

A smile broke out across his face in the most beautiful way. "Nothing, it's just that I've never met someone with butter for fingers," he guffawed as I scoffed angrily and hit him with the dish rag.

"How rude of you to say such a thing to a lady," I turned my head dramatically.

"Yes, of course, you're right. I'm terribly sorry," he began, but as I turned back to him, his impish smile returned, "Sorry for not doing that first," he cried as he hit me with the other dish rag. We collapsed into a fit of laughs, as we took turns hitting each other. When we calmed down I saw Mary Alice smiling warmly. I didn't announce it, but rather smiled back at her. Edward dried the last dish and set it aside, looking to both of us, almost as if to say _"Ok, what next?"_

"That's all for today, actually, except for breaking the news to my mother. Edward you really should go home though, you don't have to stay for this," I turned to him, hoping that he wouldn't take this as me not wanting him here and kicking him out.

"I can if you want me to. I really wouldn't mind. Like I explained earlier, I am here for support if you need it," he looked to me seriously, and I smiled warmly.

"And I appreciate that, truly. It's just that my mother only knows you from newspapers, so I'm not sure I could get her to focus long enough for me to break the news about the money," I chuckled lightly.

He laughed, despite himself, "All right, I understand. Would you like me to come by tomorrow?"

I smiled, "Yes, that would be lovely," he smiled back and gave me another hug before giving one to Mary Alice as well.

"I am very glad I've met you both, you're certainly the best friends I've made so far. My mother wishes me to make more. I am positive she'll have me meeting the other catches of the county," he laughed, as he quoted me from earlier, "I'll see you both tomorrow. It was lovely, Ms. Swan," he said, taking on a tone of formality again to give my hand a kiss, "Ms. Brandon," a kiss for her hand as well. With that, he walked out the door, giving us one final wave before the door shut behind him. I felt my shoulders relax and breath forcibly leave my lips in an exasperated sigh.

"My goodness, Isabella, can you believe it," her voice began to get giddy again, as she too came to grips with the events of today, "Edward Masen likes you!" I looked to her, expecting her to say _Edward Masen says we are his friends!_ Or _Edward Masen was in this house!_

"How do you figure that," I inquired, shocked. Her eyes widened at my response

"Surely, you did not miss that, it was clear as day!"

"I heard him call us his friends a lot, Mary Alice," but even my own low self-esteem could not deny the chemistry that filled the room when it was just him and I in it. Again, I found myself wishing he had come to town sooner. If only my mother and I could reclaim our status, so I could have a semblance of a chance. I heard him today, his mother wants a girl with a high-standing family. Even if by some chance, I were lucky enough to gain the affections of Edward Masen, there was no guarantee we could even make it. It was a lost cause, and simply that. For now, I would just find comfort in him being a friend.

"Okay, Isabella, you can deny it all you want. But, for right now, I want to hear EVERYTHING," she shouted as she grabbed my hands and moved us over to the couch. I suspected this would come sooner or later. We stayed there for all hours, reliving the moments we shared with Edward Masen. If only I had known that I should've clung on to those moments, instead of taking them for granted.


	6. Chapter 6: Mary Alice

**Hello all! Once again I don't own any characters, all rights belong to Stephanie Meyer. Thank you, and please leave me reviews!**

Chapter Six: Mary Alice

My mother had come home late, as predicted, and Mary Alice and I had told her together. She was certainly angry with me, but her gratefulness towards Mary Alice overshadowed it. I was glad she had been there. I did not tell her about Edward, but instead decided to let the chips fall where they may. I knew eventually she would have to find out about him, as he was going to be helping around the house often. Edward had picked up on the many needs of the house in the short amount of time that he had been there. He was already making plans for fixing loose floorboards, painting walls, helping us really make the most of what we had been given. I was immensely grateful.

After a week of both Edward and Mary Alice coming to help us out, our small home was beginning to feel like one. The paint was no longer chipped, the floors were redone, and there wasn't a speck of dirt or grime anywhere. The apartment was one story, with one bedroom, one bathroom, a depressingly tiny kitchen, and a sitting area in the front that was bigger than any other room. It was deceiving, it gave the impression of vastness, when really it wasn't in the slightest. Mary Alice had kept her promise of bringing us meals, and Edward did the same. They ended up working out a schedule, alternating every day. My mother and I cried tears of happiness every time they showed up at the door.

Sometimes I wondered if Edward ever spent time with his family. It seemed ever since he arrived in Chicago, he was always around us, helping us out or spending time with me. I never once complained, but I worried. I didn't want Edward to have a hard life at home, and it pained me to think I was his way of getting away from it. One day, about a week after he had agreed to help me, I sat down on the couch after a day of cleaning and patted the spot next to me.

Edward and I were very close, we had talked nonstop this week, and knew almost everything about each other. Some days we would play games of asking each other random questions, and we had to answer, no matter what. Luckily, Edward was a gentleman, so he didn't often take advantage of such rules.

He was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, a dish rag slung over his shoulder when he noticed me gesturing for him. He smiled his signature smirk, and it surprised me how after seemingly getting used to his looks, it still took my breath away when he did such simple things, such as smiling. He walked over, exaggerating fatigue, and plopped down next to me, his head resting against the back of the couch.

"I wanted to thank you again," I started, "for helping so much this week, it has truly been a blessing. My mother's paycheck comes tomorrow, and then we won't be in this slump anymore," I beamed, realizing the truth of that statement as I said it.

He grinned lazily, "There is no need to thank me, Bella, I am happy that we got through it," he took my hand, and I realized that this was the first time we had touched each other in a week. We had kept our distance, and just talked as friends. I had been certain that he felt nothing for me because of that fact. _Calm down, he's just holding your hand, that is perfectly friendly._ I tried to calm myself down. How silly I could get so flustered at such a simple gesture.

"I am happy too," I pulled myself together and remembered my reason for bringing him to the couch, "Edward, can I ask you a question," I was afraid to ask it, as it was entirely too personal.

"Sure, anything," he responded

"Why do you never seem to go back home," I asked bluntly, I internally slapped myself in the face, _Nice. Subtle. Way to ease into it, Swan._ I admonished myself even more as I registered the look on his face. "I apologize, I don't mean to pry, it's just that you only arrived in town a week ago, and you've been here almost every day of it. Don't you ever spend time with your family," I finished with another rude question. _Ugh._

He almost smiled, "Really, it is fine, Bella. I understand your curiosity and concern. I thank you for both," he paused, almost seeming unsure if he should continue, "I suppose I owe you an explanation for it. Yes, you've deduced correctly that I do not have the best relationship with my parents. I've somewhat used you, and I apologize for that," he paused again, breaking eye contact with me before continuing, "However, I truly do cherish spending time with you, Bella, there is no where I would rather spend my time," he finished, causing another round of blushing to appear on my neck and face.

"Edward, I cherish our time too," I wanted to tell him, I remember thinking.

I wanted to tell him that I loved him. "And,-" I began.

"AAAHH!" An ear-splitting scream suddenly ripped through the air and my heart stopped. Mary Alice was the only other person here.

"MARY ALICE," I cried as I flew myself off the couch and into the kitchen. What I witnessed there was something I had never been able to forget. Mary Alice stood in the middle of the kitchen, her face contorted into a heartbreaking expression of pain and agony. She held her head in her hands as if willing whatever was causing her pain to stop. Her eyes were wild, she looked every which way, and almost looked like she was reading something in the air. I rushed forward and tried to determine the source of the injury, I felt utterly useless as she screamed again, crumpling to the floor. "Mary Alice, tell me, what is it," I plead desperately as I followed her to the floor, she didn't seem to be able to hear me. As she screamed again I hugged her forcefully and held her head to my chest, wanting to know what was happening.

"Mother… look out," was all she said before she fainted.

"Mary Alice," I tried to shake her awake, "Mary Alice!"

"Bella," Edward's soft voice was calm in this moment, I wish I knew how he had achieved that. "Let's bring her to the couch," he said as he walked forward and picked her up. "I don't know what happened, but we need to call the doctor and let her rest until he gets here." I nodded, slowly getting back up on my feet as I watched him carefully place her on the couch we had been moments ago. I turned around with shaking hands and quick movements, still in shock over what happened. I didn't know how to calm down after witnessing such an ordeal. I watched as my shaking hands grabbed a towel and dipped it in a bowl of cold water. I rung it out and put it back in, then folded it to make for a cold compress and brought it over to Mary Alice.

"What will you use that for," he asked, his voice still calm. However, I had a feeling he was just staying strong for me, and he was just as confused and terrified as I was underneath the surface.

"It's a cold compress for her forehead," my voice coming out more even than I expected it would. I carefully placed it on her forehead and lowered myself to my knees beside her. "What just happened," I found myself asking, knowing full well Edward had no better idea than I.

"I wish I knew," was all he said before coming over to me and lowering himself to his knees beside me. "Are you okay," he asked, taking my hand.

"I will be, once she wakes up," I sighed heavily and found myself resting my head against his shoulder. "Can you please go find the doctor," I raised my head and looked up to him. He smiled a small, sad smile and nodded, probably trying to ease me somehow.

"Yes, I will go retrieve him," he said, standing up.

"I'll wait with her," I announced, no one would be able to take me from her side.


	7. Chapter 7: Sisters

**Hello all! This is the seventh installment of 1918: A Love Story. I hope you enjoy it, and please leave me reviews if you can. Also as always all rights belong to Stephanie Meyer. I have many ideas for this story, so stay tuned! Thank you and enjoy**

Chapter 7: Sisters

The doctor had been in the middle of a surgery, and therefore hadn't come back until an hour later. Mary Alice had been restless, mumbling in her sleep, which was not normal for her. I had picked up on specific words, such as "Mother" primarily. I noticed that whenever she began speaking, her fever became worse, and I refreshed her compress to help bring it back down.

Edward returned with the doctor as soon as he was able. However, it wasn't Dr. Bauer, it was a newcomer. Someone I had never seen before, as I was sure I would have remembered such a face. He was inhumanly beautiful, his skin was unnaturally pale, and he had blonde hair that looked like the sun. His eyes were a golden ocher like melted honey.

"What happened," he asked, and I was found speechless, his voice was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. It was reminiscent of wind chimes in the summertime.

"She fainted," Edward explained, some of his panic breaking through. Edward looked to me, "Bella, this is Dr. Cullen, he is new to town. But, he's renowned for his abilities," he explained, probably picking up on the fact that I was too panic stricken to ask him his name myself.

I found myself nodding, "Yes, just help her please," I couldn't even focus on the beautiful man in front of me, all I could think of was my best friend, "She screamed bloody murder before fainting. She seemed to be in colossal pain, I could do nothing to help," I heard my own voice like it was through a tunnel, I felt numb to everything around me. Edward came to my side then, wrapping his arms around me, which calmed me down some.

Dr. Cullen wasted no time then, he went to work immediately. "Ms. Swan, you handled the situation just fine, thank you for keeping her fever down until I could come," he complimented me and smiled a gentle smile that relaxed my nerves. I nodded, while breathing out a shaky sigh, I decided to leave the room then. I wished to come back only when she was better, and not a second before.

I sat down at the kitchen table, as I entered the door swung shut behind me. A moment later, I heard the door open again, and the chair beside me squealed across the floor as Edward pulled it out and sat beside me.

"Are you all right, Bella," his voice soft and gentle, and I found I was wrong before. Dr. Cullen's voice couldn't hold a candle to the beauty of Edward's voice in that moment. I smiled softly, despite myself.

"Yes," I looked to him then, his soft green eyes more lovely than Dr. Cullen's golden ones. "I just wish I hadn't witnessed what I did. I wish Mary Alice hadn't undergone such affliction."

Edward nodded empathetically, "That is more than understandable, no one wishes to see their loved ones in pain," he tentatively grabbed my hand, softly caressing the back of it with his other hand.

"Thank you for being here," I replied, unsure of what else to say. He nodded, his eyes seeming to say _Of course, silly, why wouldn't I be here?_

Then, it happened, another scream ripped through the air, freezing my joints in place. "Oh no," I heard myself mutter under my breath. I felt Edward's hand stiffen on top of mine and his whole body visibly tensed. We stood together and went to the front room. Mary Alice laid on the couch, her eyes sealed shut, and her face covered in a layer of sweat. Her screams didn't cease, except for once in a great while, she began to mumble again.

"Watch out," she whispered, "Behind you, please mother, look behind you. No! Please! No!" She screamed then, except it wasn't from pain anymore, but from terror. Dr. Cullen could do nothing but hold her down as she tossed endlessly.

Then it all stopped. She stopped moving, and her screams finally ceased. Slowly, her eyes opened and landed on me.

"Mary Alice," I said, "Are you okay," I went to her side, taking her pale hand.

"Yes, what happened," she asked, looking confused as to why she was surrounded by worried faces.

"You fainted," I found myself explaining, "Do you remember anything?"

Her eyes looked normal again, they weren't wild like before, and so I noticed recognition in her eyes briefly before she closed them and shook her head slightly. I knew she was lying.

"I think the worst is over," Dr. Cullen announced, breaking everyone out of their reveries. He picked up his things then, "Ms. Brandon, rest as much as you can. I must take my leave now. It was nice to meet you Mr. Masen, Ms. Swan," were his parting words as he left from where he had come.

Edward had stayed for a while with us, being our rock again. However, soon the sky turned black, and he had to leave for home. Once he left, I looked to Mary Alice again, unsure how to begin.

"Mary Alice, I know you were lying," I decided to start that way. Her eyes opened again and rested on me, her mouth turned up at the corners, giving me a lazy smile.

"I suppose I should've known you'd pick that up," was all she said, and so I continued.

"Mary Alice, what happened, please tell me."

She sighed heavily, "Okay… I will tell you, but it is not going to make any sense," her eyes looked afraid suddenly, "You're not going to want to believe me, Isabella, but promise me you will. I'm not crazy, please believe me," her voice increased in volume near the end of her sentence, and I shushed her, putting the compress back on her forehead.

"Of course I will believe you, Mary Alice, you're like my sister, I trust you above anyone else," I knew Mary Alice would never lie, and more so, she was not crazy.

She nodded weakly, seeming appeased, "Okay, well there is something that I've never told you, Bella,"

"What is it," I asked, doing my best to keep my voice calm and soothing.

"This has happened before, never to such an extent, but it has happened," she admitted. I wasn't sure I had heard her correctly.

"What do you mean," I was sure I would've remembered this happening before. Mary Alice had never done this before, not to my knowledge.

"What you witnessed wasn't the first time it happened. The only problem is, it's never caused me pain before,"

"Well then it wasn't the same thing. I'm confused, what's happened before?" I asked her, unsure what she was trying to tell me.

"I know it was the same thing, because I had a vision, and I've been having them all my life," she finally admitted, looking down unable to meet my gaze. She expected me to call her crazy, and not believe her. Trust me, it was certainly hard to believe, but I knew she was telling the truth.

"What do you mean," I couldn't help but to ask. "Please explain."

"They usually only happened at night, in my dreams. This was the first time that I was awake and it was during the day. I don't know why they've changed suddenly. Ever since I could remember, I've been getting these strange dreams, and soon after my dreams became true," she explained. I couldn't believe my ears. My best friend, my sister, the person who knew me better than anyone else, was telling me that there was a whole other part of her life that I was completely oblivious to. "I had a dream about meeting you, Isabella. I knew we were going to be the best of friends," she smiled sadly, seeming upset about something.

"What's wrong," I asked her. She looked up at me and tears sprang to her eyes.

"Oh, Bella, I'm still waiting for you to call me crazy, I'm so worried I'll lose you too," I shushed her and hugged her.

"Mary Alice, you could never lose me. I believe you," I said to her hair as she cried softly into my shoulder.

"Thank you, Bella. Thank you for believing me. My father doesn't even look at me anymore, he is afraid of me," she admitted, her voice breaking. Everything suddenly made sense. I always knew she didn't have a good relationship with her father, but I never knew why. He had shunned her, as the whole town as shunned me. She knew how I felt, and I felt like a whole other layer was added to our friendship then. We understood each other on another level that no one else could ever understand.

"I'm so sorry, Mary Alice. But, I promise you, I will not shun you. Sisters forever," I promised urgently. She laid back down then and beamed at me.

"Sisters Forever," She agreed.

"I saw my mother," Mary Alice had whispered in the night. I had laid down on the floor, a blanket underneath me, and another covering me.

After Mary Alice had told me about her visions, I was unwilling to leave her alone, or let her go back home. So I had walked to Mr. and Mrs. Brandon's house and told them that she was staying with me for the night. Mr. Brandon didn't seem to care either way, while Mrs. Brandon only asked why as her husband closed the door before I could answer. I felt my cheeks burning and my hands itching to hit something. How I had never noticed his attitude towards Mary Alice before plagued my mind all the way back home.

"What," I whispered back. The candles had burned out completely, and the sun had left the sky hours before. The only source of light was the moonlight that shone softly through the open window. It illuminated the room, and I could barely make out Mary Alice's form on the couch. If she hadn't spoken, I wouldn't have been able to tell she was awake.

"I saw my mother in the vision," she whispered again.

"I know," I admitted, reliving the horror of her tortured cries, calling for her mother. Mary Alice didn't question me, instead she only continued.

"She was killed," Her voice sounded lifeless in the night. Like she was afraid to believe her own words. She had said that all of her visions came true, that she had never had a vision that hadn't come true. I wasn't sure what to say, so I remained silent. "She was murdered."

"What," I gasped. "I'm so sorry, Mary Alice," unsure what else to say, I decided to ask, "Are you sure,"

"Yes," she replied simply. "I could see a figure behind her. I couldn't make out who, but it was probably a man. I saw her knocked out and," her voice broke, "and thrown over the bridge." Again, I was speechless. She seemed fine by this, she knew just as well as I that there were no appropriate words in an instance such as this. "I have to try to prevent it, but I don't know how, there's no way to tell where she'll be when it happens." Her voice sounded faraway, and near the end her voice had returned to a whisper.

"Didn't you see where she was in the vision," I asked. Silence. She did not reply, "Mary Alice?" She wasn't responding and I knew she had fallen asleep.


	8. Chapter 8: Their Secret Spot

**Hello all! Here is Chapter Eight. As always, I own nothing. Please stay tuned, and leave me reviews if you can! Thank you and enjoy.**

Chapter Eight: Their Secret Spot

"Visions? Are you sure," Edward asked me the next day. He had come over to my house again, even though he didn't have to anymore, it made me unreasonably happy. He had said it was out of concern for Mary Alice, which I believed. However, Mary Alice's mother had come early that morning to retrieve her, so he had just missed her. I trusted Edward very much so by that time, so I took this as an opportunity to tell him about Mary Alice's visions, and ask him what he thought of it. He was unbelieving at first, like anyone would be.

"Yes, she said that she's been getting these visions her entire life," I admitted, "I can't believe there's this whole other side of Mary Alice's life that I knew nothing about."

"It's not your fault, Isabella. It's not Mary Alice's fault either. She was just afraid, which is reasonable." He said calmly and gently.

"You are right, of course," it seemed he was always right, which was beyond annoying when it wasn't charming. He seemed to understand the meaning behind my words, because he smiled his perfect crooked smirk. "It's just that… Mary Alice's father shunned her, and he's visibly afraid of her. The coward." I could feel the venom that leaked into my voice at the end of my sentence. "He didn't even care that she did not return home last night, and he wouldn't listen to the reason why. Mary Alice's mother is very close to her. If she loses her mother, I don't know what we'd do, she's all she has."

"She would still have you," Edward said.

I couldn't accept that, "Yes, of course. But, it's her _mother,_ Edward. I wouldn't be enough, not this time."

He looked down, and nodded sadly. He knew there was nothing to be said. I grabbed his hand, needing to feel him there. He squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"Hey, Bella, let's get out of here," he suddenly said, his eyes wide with excitement. Edward and I had never been anywhere alone since the first walk home. His sudden burst of excitement startled me, but I couldn't help the surge of excitement that coursed through me at the idea of going somewhere with him.

"Okay," I agreed, smiling broadly.

The smile that broke out across his face sent my heart in a frenzy, making it beat erratically. I was suddenly positive he could hear it beating out of my chest.

"I have a place I want to show you," We left the house then, walking by Mrs. Harbinger's marigolds again, and walking down the street. His hand never once let go of mine.

"Where are we going," I found myself laughing and smiling, forgetting the last horrible twenty-four hours.

His smile was just as radiant as mine, "You'll just have to wait and see," his pace suddenly became faster and he pulled me along behind him.

"Okay, okay!" I laughed, and I heard him laughing with me, and it was the most captivating sound I had ever heard. It sounded genuinely happy and carefree. His laughter continued as we ran down the street, hand in hand, until suddenly he stopped and I ran into his back, for the second time since I've known him. I wasn't sure what had happened until I looked around him and I saw two adults standing before him. A man and a woman. The man was wearing clothes similar to what Edward wore when I first met him. The man was tall, his posture perfectly straight, and he had a mustache that made him look like he needed to go through puberty to fill it out. His face was friendly, but a forced friendly. It looked like he was calculating everything just underneath the surface. He had bronze hair that reminded me of Edward's.

"So this is where you've been hiding, Edward?" The woman asked, her voice unpleasant. The woman was beautiful, and her eyes were a brilliant green just like Edward's. These were obviously his parents.

"I haven't been hiding anywhere," he replied, his voice curt.

"Well, I would beg to differ, son. We have barely seen you since we arrived in town," Mr. Masen's voice was trying hard to be friendly in front of company, but it was a losing battle. His cold eyes flicked to me for a fraction of a second.

"You must be Isabella Swan," Mrs. Masen said, surprisingly friendly, as she extended her hand forward for a handshake. I complied, unsure how else to respond.

"Yes, ma'am. It's very nice to meet you," I heard my voice respond like it was through a tunnel.

"Quite," her friendly façade gone as quickly as it had come. Edward had not relaxed in the slightest. Mr. and Mrs. Masen looked at me as a bug, one that had to be squished as soon as possible. I suddenly realized what they must be thinking. My mother and I were the talk of the town, surely they had heard the gossip of us losing everything. Here I was, holding hands with their son, the heir of a big oil company. I quickly let go of his hand, and stepped back, suddenly feeling like I couldn't breathe. I was not a gold-digger. I could never use Edward like that. But what if he believed those rumors? I felt trapped all of a sudden, like I couldn't breathe or stop the walls from closing in. Edward looked back towards me, confused at the loss of contact, when he saw the look on my face. He knew my mind was in "flight or fight" mode. I chose flight, obviously.

"Isabella!" he called as I ran back the other way, afraid to look at his face.

I ran back to my house, and stopped in front of my door. _He would know to find me here,_ I thought to myself. So, I kept going. I ran through streets, taking alley ways, shortcuts, and I found myself on the other side of the city. Where the streets of carriages and people melded with forests and streams. I kept walking until I found a big boulder next to a shallow part of the stream, and I sat down on it. Taking off my shoes, I let my feet soak in the ice cold water.

How had my life gotten so messed up, I remember asking myself as I sat there with my knees pulled up to my chest, and my head resting on my knees. I couldn't face Edward now. If his parents didn't scare him away from me, then surely my running away did. Guilty people always ran.

But, I wasn't guilty. The sad part was that I was only guilty of being in love. My heart clenched at the thought. There were about three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was rich. Second, Edward's parents believed me to be a gold-digger because of that fact. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

I didn't know what to do.

"I thought I might find you here," a voice suddenly broke me out of my train of thought. I gasped, startled, and looked behind me to see Edward standing at the forest edge. His eyes looked conflicted, and I had a good idea why. He was more than likely trying to decide whether to listen to his parents.

"How did you know," I asked, confused. His crooked smile broke out across his wonderful face again, and my chest pained at the sight.

"Believe it or not, this was the spot I was going to show you earlier," he laughed, "I guess I just believed you would find it on your own," he smiled, and I couldn't help but to chuckle humorously at the truth of that statement. Edward and I thought a lot alike, it made a lot of sense for me to find it.

"It's a beautiful spot," I said, looking forward again, leaving Edward to stare at the back of my head. Because it was too hard to watch him standing there like a roman god, with his hair shining in the sunlight. I could hear him walking further into the forest, twigs and leaves crunching beneath his feet.

"Bella, I am very sorry about my parents," he apologized.

"Please, don't. Don't feel sorry. I should've tried harder to push you away. I'm selfish though," I chuckled without humor again. He was behind me then, I could feel his presence.

"I am…confused," he finally finished, and I had to laugh because I could hear it perfectly in his voice.

"About what?" I asked.

"Why are you selfish?"

"Because, I knew my reputation in this town, but that doesn't mean I had to bring you down with me. I'm probably ruining your relationship with your parents. I should've pushed you away, and forced you to go home. I should've accepted your help that first day and never talked to you again," I sighed and frowned at the fact that it made my chest hurt again to even think of that.

"Bella, please don't do that," he said, sounding heartbroken. That hurt me above all else, the sound of him hurt.

"I have to, though. Because if I hadn't fallen in love with you then this wouldn't be an issue. It wouldn't matter what your parents said, or what the town said," and I stopped, realizing that my mouth had uttered the words I so desperately tried to keep hidden.

The silence that followed was almost tangible. I could've sworn that I would be able to reach out and touch it.

"You… fell… for me?" Now above any other time I really could not look at him. Instead I kept my back turned to him, and stared angrily down at the guppies that swam around my feet. I felt my whole face and neck heat up as I continued to keep quiet. "Bella," he tried again, and I shook my head, feeling the hot angry tears beginning to well up in my eyes. I was angry at myself, how I had ruined everything. "Isabella, I love you," I heard him whisper. Those words were so softly spoken I wasn't sure I had heard him correctly. I finally, finally looked up to meet his gaze. The first time I had done so since before he had even entered the forest. His eyes were burning with a passion so intense that I couldn't look away again.

"What," I asked, dumbfounded.

"I love you, Bella," he said again, louder this time. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he smiled broadly. "I love you," he said again. Excitement poured out of every word, and he rushed in front of me, getting his pants soaked up to his knees. He didn't seem to notice, his eyes never left mine. He took my face in his hands. "I love you Isabella Swan," he said in a tone of such finality that I couldn't deny him.

A smile so wide that it almost hurt, broke out across my face, "I love you Edward Masen," the feeling at finally saying it was so joyous that a carefree laugh escaped through my lips. I jumped up from my rock and straight into his arms. My arms going around his neck, and my feet lifting up behind me as he laughed with me and spun me around in the water, effectively soaking both of us. He set me back down on my feet, in the water, and it was there that we shared our first kiss.


	9. Chapter 9: The Beginning of the End

"I love you Edward Masen," I had said before we shared our first kiss. That was the moment. The one I had only dreamed about up until now. In fact, I wasn't so certain that he wouldn't disappear into thin air. He was too beautiful, too kind, too selfless, and too much for me. I never expected to find someone like him in my wildest dreams. His soft lips captured mine once, twice, and a third time before he pulled back to look into my eyes.

"I don't think you are a gold digger, Bella. I know you were afraid that I'd believe my parents. But, how could I? Once I had witnessed how warm, selfless, and kind you are, I knew there couldn't be any one else for me."

"I don't deserve you," I said in awe, barely able to tear my boring brown eyes away from his bright emerald ones.

"Yes, you do. We deserve each other. We are right for each other. We're perfect together. I couldn't live without you now." He had grasped my upper arms and looked straight at me. His eyes were intense and big. He had begun talking in such a passionate and hurried voice that I couldn't do anything but to listen to him.

"That's something we can agree on, because I could not live without you either." He kissed me again. "What do we do about your parents?" I kicked myself for ruining such a beautiful moment with questions. And yet, it was an important question.

"I don't know. Let's run away." He said suddenly.

"What?" I asked dumbfounded.

"Bella, run away with me. We can get married and live in the mountains." He chuckled but his eyes told me he was sincere. He wanted to spend his life with me. And oh, how I wanted to spend mine with him.

"But… I… I can't. Edward, please believe me. If I could I'd say let's go right now. But I can't. I have to look after my Mother and Mary Alice. I couldn't abandon them like that." I said sadly, reality kicking in with steel-toed boots. His eyes turned sad, yet I could see he understood why it wasn't an option. "I do love you." I said to reassure him. He gave me a sad smile

"Oh, I know love." He said, already giving me a term of endearment and kissing the top of my head. "I love you too, I just wish we could run away and never look back."

"I wish we could too." I whispered, resting my forehead on his shoulder. That's when I looked down and realized where we were standing. I began to chuckle until it turned into laughter. "Your legs are a bit wet," I laughed. He looked down to see his legs, from the knee down, were absolutely soaked. "I really hope those fancy shoes aren't ruined."

"So are yours," he pointed at my dress which was now heavy with water and hard to walk in. Edward began to laugh, throwing his head back in the process. His face bathed in the sunlight that streamed through the trees, I was sure I had never seen anything more beautiful.

"I guess we should head back." I muttered sadly after he was done laughing. He let go of my hands, and then took one again, wanting to abide by social customs yet not wanting to lose contact. It made me smile.

"You're right. Let's go check on Mary Alice, and see how she is faring." He suggested.

"That's what I was going to suggest as well," we chuckled together, and our fingers interlocked.

"What do you mean she's gone?" I asked, frustrated and confused.

Before us, Mary Alice's mother, stood with tears streaming down her face.

"When I came to get Mary Alice this morning, she was still talking about me getting murdered. Her father was in a rage and he said that he didn't want to hear any more of it, so he called for the asylum to come collect her and check on her. Saying she was crazy and needed treatment immediately. My Mary Alice isn't crazy, I know it to be true. But I don't know what to do." Mrs. Brandon had gone into hysterics, and Edward helped her sit down on the porch.

"No, she's not crazy, and we're going to prove it. I'll get her out of there if it's the last thing I do." I had had enough of this. "Mrs. Brandon, I'm so sorry about how stressful this all must be for you. Come inside, let's get you some tea." Edward and I pulled her to her feet and ushered her inside.

After she had calmed down some, I pulled Edward aside.

"I'm so sorry to do this, but I need to go to Mary Alice. Can you stay with Mrs. Brandon for just a little bit while I go make sure she's okay?"

Edward was more than understanding, "Of course I can do that. Bella, go make sure our friend is okay. Say hello for me." He smiled and I couldn't help but to smile back and peck him on the cheek quickly before taking my leave.

"Mrs. Brandon, I will be right back. I promise. I'm going to go check on your daughter." I promised her and smiled. She seemed to take comfort from it.

As I walked down the street I heard commotion at Mrs. Harbinger's apartment.

"She's collapsed! Someone get some help!" I heard someone shout. I looked to see Mrs. Harbinger fainted on the sidewalk.

"Mrs. Harbinger!" I exclaimed as I knelt down beside her. "Mrs. Harbinger, are you okay?" She was as white as a sheet with a layer of sweat covering her face. Her face suddenly began to take on a slight blue tint, and dark spots covered her cheeks. "Mrs. Harbinger, can you hear me?"

"Get back, Ms. Swan!" I heard a familiar, beautiful voice instruct me. "Get back! You might get infected!" He ordered me as he pulled me away from her side.

"Dr. Cullen! Wait, Infected? Infected with what?" He was wearing a doctor's mask and pushing me away from my friendly neighbor.

"It's influenza. Six people in the last two days have fallen ill. We're trying to keep it from becoming an outbreak…" He looked on Mrs. Harbinger with a sad face, "We may be too late for that."

"What? But my friend, Mary Alice, collapsed too. What if she has the same thing?"

"No. Your friend didn't have the symptoms, she just had a small fever." Suddenly, Mrs. Harbinger began coughing up blood.

I gasped, "Oh no. Mrs. Harbinger…"

"We have got to move quickly. I'm sorry Ms. Swan. Go check on your friend." Dr. Cullen said as they pulled her away.


End file.
